118 
SWAMP SPARROW. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of fifteen specimens. Length, 5'70; stretch, 7'76; wing, 2’85; tail, 2*23; bill, *45; tarsus, - 82. 
Longest specimen, Ci'00; greatest extent of wing, 8 - 12; longest wing, 2'GO; tail, 2'35; hill, '50; tarsus, ‘90. Shortest speci¬ 
men, 5’40; smallest extent of wing, 7'40; shortest wing, 2’30; tail, 2 - 12; hill, '41; tarsus, ‘75. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground, composed of dried grass and weeds, lined with finer grass. Dimensions; external diam¬ 
eter, 4’00, internal, 2‘50. External depth, 2 - 75, internal, 1'75. 
Eggs, four or five in number, oval in form, pale-blue in color, spotted and dotted quite finely with reddish-brown and 
lilac. Dimensions from '56 x ‘75 to "60 x ‘80. 
HABITS. 
I know of but few if any localities north of Florida where the vegetation grows more 
luxuriantly than on the margins of the little creeks which empty into the Susquehanna Riv¬ 
er, Pennsylvania. The soil is exceedingly fertile, for it is composed of the washings of 
the rich lands on the slopes, and produces a fine growth of timber. Here the sturdy syca¬ 
more grows to perfection, often rearing its lofty leaf-crowned head to the height of a hun¬ 
dred feet. Black walnuts also attain to a large size, while beneath them grow a host of 
butternuts, wild plums, hawthorns, and other small trees which so completely shade the 
surface, that it seems impossible for any thing to obtain light enough to thrive at all, but 
in spite of the dense overhanging foliage, the ground is thickly covered with rank nettles 
and other weeds. But wherever an opening occurs admiting the sunshine the herbage be¬ 
comes exceedingly high; this is especially noticeable along the margins of the streams where 
giant grasses often six feet in height overhang the water. Upon the whole it would be 
difficult to find a place more conducive to bird life, and many species were very abundant 
there. The branches above were filled with the more arboreal birds while swarms of the 
terrestrial found a home in the herbage below, and the more open sections were occupied 
by the Swamp Sparrows. Here they remained throughout the summer, sheltered from the 
sultry noon time heat by the cool green foliage above, and they linger late in autumn, long 
after the butternuts have fallen and the ground is strewn with leaves, when the naked 
stalks and withered rustling grass affords them but slight protection. 
I have ever found that the Swamp Sparrows seek grassy thickets and are common in 
them along the streams of Florida, even as far south as Miami. I have never heard them 
make any attempt at a song in the South, but in Massachusetts they trill forth a sprightly 
lay that consists of a series of rapidly given notes which, although somewhat resembling 
those uttered by the Chipping Sparrow, are more lisping and no! as loud. This perform¬ 
ance is given only during the breeding season, but in the autumn they have a very pretty 
warbling song which, although low, is exceedingly sweet. 
The Swamp Sparrows breed about the last week in May, usually placing the nest on 
a tussock or on the ground, but I once found one that was fastened half way up the thick¬ 
ly growing stalks of some coarse grass, the bent tops of which formed an arch over it and 
nearly concealed it. The young may be seen accompanying their parents in August, and 
migrate with them in November, when they all usually move along the low lands, but on 
their return in spring they often follow other Sparrows across the uplands. 
